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I am proud to announce that this morning I had my first conscious exit astral projections(I had three). I foremost want to thank the community for being there and lending advice to help me achieve this. I appreciate all who helped me the last few weeks.

I don't need the typical congratulatory posts, or feel the need to explain my experience(super long story posts are annoying to me) for self satisfaction.

What I do want to discuss is the vast difference between what I thought I was doing right, and what actually were factors in my success in projection. I started my journey about a month ago and did a tremendous amount of research, so I feel I am a good newcomer-to-success story and have a couple of major insights to lend to the community. What worries me most is although the information I got was accurate; there is a way to go about interpreting this information that can lead you down a near dead end path in your projection attempts. I can't tell you how many posts I scanned through that contained people experiencing the same frustrations I was, and in retrospect, it was because we were all misinterpreting the fundamentals.

1. State of mind is very important to a first projectionsWhen I started, I was attempting to go about projection before I went to sleep, in the evening or in the late night. Unknowingly, this was my first critical mistake. I read that night attempts were more difficult, however, I thought I could manage harder training. Who wants to get up in the morning to project, that sounds like a complete suck fest and , plus, I want to learn to project at night. I was wrong. I got extremely proficient at entering a strong F12, to the point where I could force immense vibrations. But it was always the same things that got in my way. My breathing. A really annoying itch. Thinking I heard something. In essence, BEING AWARE. I was shooting myself in the foot.When you go about phasing its not that you are shutting off your psychical awareness, but rather completely diverting your focus; on visualization, or being really good at a mantra. This is extremely difficult. I will repeat that, this is extremely difficult. In the old world, people would train a lifetime to master this. And you want to pump this thing out? You need help if you want to do this quickly. The helping crutch is choosing the right frame-of-mind. You will use this to get through the exit the first time. Once you know that feeling, I can assure you will understand the basic way to get there. So what is this crutch of a state? We have all had it. It is the "screw it, I am going back to bed to catch another hour of sleep" feeling. It is that quintessential, identifiable drowsiness that is actually rather rewarding and pleasant. So I highly recommend, not attempting to project at night, but instead sleeping for like 4 hours, waking up and forcing yourself out of bed. Take a shower, eat breakfast, and start you day, really do whatever you want, until that, screw-it-I-am-going-back-to-bed-for-another-hour feeling creeps up. That's when you lay down on your non-usual sleeping comfy place and attempt your projection. Again, this is to learn the way to get there. Then you can really start your training once you know the initial path.

2. Practice meditationThere is not an agreed upon nomenclature in this field, so for this purpose, I will refer to meditation as a deliberate mental expedition to find the "exit" into the astral. I was meditating, when I thought I was on the path to phasing. This was my second critical mistake. When meditating, you can get very deep into your consciousness(a deep F12), you can even stand at the foot of the "exit", but you will not know HOW to use the exit unless you have experienced it once before. When I started I was so full of vigor to find it enter it, and failed repeatedly. I can't tell you how frustrating this is; you will time and time again wake up sweating, trying to analyze what you did wrong. I am sure most newcomers will experience exactly what I am talking about. So, when beginning, you are in a conundrum of sorts, you need to get somewhere you don't know how to get to, and all you have is a myriad of mixed approaches people have suggested to explore your surrounding when you close your eyes in a relaxed state. Now although these repeated attempts at meditation are frustrating, especially when they appear fruitless, please do not discount them. They will teach you how to get to the exit, even if you can't go through it. So when you finally give the morning technique a shot, you will identify and understand all the basic feelings you encounter. You need to understand and be comfortable with all these feelings and learn what the milestones are so they don't freak you out, when you experience them and can discount them without a worry.So contrary to what I said in 1, practice before bed. Do it and do it often, but understand that a deep F12 state is your goal. This I did right. Hell, try to find the exit, but please don't get frustrated if you can't, just simply understand you are going to need that state of mind tip in 1 to understand the way. Then when you understand how to apply the way to find that exit in a deep F12. Practice, Practice, Practice.

Intermission - I so wish I had these tips when I started.

3. Don't search for the milestonesVibrations. Random Noises. Mind Awake Body Asleep. A feeling of being pulled upward. I know all these sensations very well after all my practice, but when you are actually phasing, experiencing any of them doesn't matter, ignoring them is what matters. That is so vital. I would stay up night searching for the path, exploring colors, reaching chest pounding and hyperventilation dead ends, thinking I just need to get past those points. Thinking that finding the vibrations is the secret to astral projection and I am just failing at finding them. This is NOT the case. Phasing is natural, there is no searching for milestones. There is no getting past anything. I could never believe that it just happens so easily, but it does. I feel so foolish after all my attempts, but am grateful I understand how to reach different levels of consciousness so quickly now. So how do you get there if milestones aren't the solution?

4. Visualization

Visualization is the key. Honestly a mantra does not work for me because I get to bored with it after a while, and start thinking about other things. I think very few of us are that mastered at focus. Again, that's a lifetime of training. So what exactly is visualization?The best example is daydreaming. You know when you are daydreaming, and you snap back into reality. That action, that disconnectedness, is exactly what we are trying to achieve. That is what we want to attempt to recreate. Lay there in a relaxed state taking deep breaths and start thinking out stories. Really anything you could daydream about. Ironically, this is how I get to sleep at night. The differences, is that because you have been practicing, you know all the cues of falling asleep. You will visualize a story, and then snap back to thinking that you lost focus of your story. You'll be like, "Crap!" But, actually what you just did was perfect. You are more disconnected and still maintaining awareness. So, then visualize another story, try to bring it as far as you can. And again you will lose focus and snap back. Be persistent and stay focused on you stories. Really they can be any physical manifestation daydream, just keep 'em coming. Eventually, the milestones will start to kick in. For instance a noise in one of your visualizations will actually happen, but because you have been practicing you will not be startled. Just think, "good" and enjoy the added effects to you thoughts. Keep up your visualization attempts and deeper, passing the vibration milestones, far past where you realized you are actually laying there. It will just happen, because you will be so engrossed in your visualization. You will feel vibrations and a rush/whoosh. From this point, you have entered the natural process. It will feel natural, just maintain composure and keep focus on you visualizations. From this launching pad, you can go all sorts of places depending on your proficiency.5. Remember your trainingBecause you have been practicing and reading so much about the astral, remember the tenets will be easy when you get to the training ground or wherever the launch takes you. Thought = Action, Emotions will Manifest. Intent is King.

You will feel light and soft and everything will be beautiful. The astral is absolutely gorgeous. It is more astounding and comforting then anything I could have ever imagined it to be.

To recap. Don't force yourself into a state. You have to know the path. Stay up late, wake up a couple hours early, but use those hours to go back to rest/attempt when your body tells you too. Practice before going to bed on normal nights. Understand the milestones, but don't search for them, the process is natural. Searching will interfere with the steadfast visualization that is truly required to achieve success.

I wish you all the best in your journeys and would like to thank everyone here at the board again for helping me out so much. I sincerely hope this helps newcomers. It is exactly the information I needed when I started.

Re-reading my post, I just came to another profound conclusion of why this may work.

Quote

When you go about phasing its not that you are shutting off your psychical awareness, but rather completely diverting your focus; on visualization, or being really good at a mantra.

Taking an active approach through meditation, it is logically impossible to shut off you physical awareness, because the brain cannot process a negative. Simply thinking about shutting off something, will engender the act of thinking about that thing. For instance, thinking about getting your breathing right, will never work because, you are paying attention to the physical. When the solution, in fact, is a passive approach. Visualizing takes you mind off of all these physical techniques and allows the process to happen. Ha. Maybe Taoism was on to something with their approach of "softness."

Where daydreaming seems too simple of a solution to such a epic undertaking, it actually is quite an advanced technique upon further inspection. Consider how complex a vivid captivating visualization is to create. Not a endeavor for the weak of mind.

Thank you so much for getting all of this together! You addressed just about every single point that I struggle with. I will definitely read through this a few more times and hopefully be on the other side of trying soon!

This is great. I've had 5 OBEs - I had been trying for a year before going to sleep in the evening - had lots of bodily sensations but could never get out...

a year later i was trying to get lucid dreams, took the "meditate" after 4-5 hours of sleep approach - a passive approach - expecting to fall asleep into a LD and VOILA! i had my first OBE. The other 4 came using the same passive meditation approach. what I discovered was that being too focused on having a silent mind - didn't work for me - I was being kept too awake. Only when my thougts would drift a bit I coud make it into the OBE it came naturally, when i stopped making so much of an effort. So I can testify to your great post - you wrote it sublimely. Thanks.

I had my first natural OBE feeling this way a few days ago, but it was a short one. After that, I still practice at night, but I missing the big piece "just focus on the visualization and forget everything else" I was always looking for something, waiting for something all this lead to frustration and nothing more.

I just had my first conscious exit AP (actually my first AP ever) just this morning, and if I had read this post before that, I would have been like "Wait, what?" but I totally and fully understand, support and agree with everything written here and would strongly advise any beginners to AP to read this first.

I totally know what you mean about experiencing the milestones and how breaking that barrier the first time makes subsequent times so much easier. With my experience from this morning still so fresh in my mind, I feel like I could project right out of my computer chair lol.

WOW!! Sounds great, i'm trying tonight (this morning even), by going to bed at 10 and waking up at 1, and staying awake doing whatever i want till i want to go to sleep agaiin. Then i'm going to bed and i'm going to daydream. Though, thats usually what i do when i go to bed anyway so i've got the practice.

Foremost, thank you everyone for your kind words. I am glad to be able to help everyone in their endeavors. This breakthrough was instrumental for my attempts and am overjoyed I can share it with you all.

When writing my above "dissertation" there is a lot I left out in order to maintain succinctness, one of many being a nice batch of examples.

I would love to be able to tell you I can have controlled metaphysical imagery, but in reality(can I say that ) my visualizations are incredibly sporadic, downright crazy, and honestly my control is pretty limited. Most visualizations will last anywhere from seconds to maybe 30 seconds maximum before I lose focus and change topic. I will snap back and immediately just go onto the next one. For instance, in my first successful phasing attempt my first memorable visualization was that of laying bricks into a short brick wall. I have never laid bricks in my life. I can think of no reason why I had this visualization, but I went with it. Near the end of the visualization, I dropped a brick and actually heard a clanking of the brick hitting the ground. So, visualization will not always be controlled, but you will have to learn to roll with the punchs as they come, enjoy it and they will lead to milestones.

Length of VisualizationsNow I said above, these things don't last long. Honestly, I believe the more I practice, the better I will become at extended visualization. It has been about a month, and I am already getting pretty proficient. Now the purpose of the visualization, don't forget, it to to achieve that disconnectedness, so live in your visualizations when they happen. Try to just enjoy them and act like you are doing what is happening. You WILL snap back. No one but masters can maintain a long visualization, so just move onto the next one. Stop and observe your state, and it may set you back from phase state a couple visulizations, but this is good because life is about the journey, and this is just another form of smelling the flowers. You will only then understand the staircase like path you are taking as you are falling deeper and become disconnected in a controlled manner.

Characteristics of VisualizationsNow when you first start your process, you will have more control over you visualizations. I found there are some patterns that help me get started easier. The first pattern is that of first person visualizations. Most of my visualizations are from my own POV. This is simpler to do and gets more results. Second and third, is to visualize something you do often, and to visualize something with an easy focal point. I have a number of examples of this I can share with you now. My favorite and usual starter is my car driving example. I am not in my car per say, but in my first person POV. I travel around the roads(ones I travel often) in my town, just visualizing everything that is around me as I continue down that stretch. I can go fast or slow. Make decisions to take turns on the fly. My upcoming next favorite is playing Frisbee. I am a competitive freestyle Frisbee player and can read discs very well. In this visualization I am just practicing different tosses, and focusing on the disc as it travels. I found the focal point of the disc is very effective as I can be intent on looking at the disc and not care at all about laying in bed.So to answer you question, yes I have "scripts" that seem to work to get started, but usually near then end my subconscious takes control and throws in weird curve balls to the mix. Like the other night right before phasing state, I was visualizing a can like object with a large stick was sticking out the top that was spinning super fast in a small circle(making a invert cone shape with the stick out the top) and I was with a group of people juggling it like a soccer ball. Pretty weird, right? Partway through, I actually kicked my physical leg in bed, setting me back, but only shortly. This physical imagery with action seems to be the key with me. Frank helped me get this idea, because he always talked so much about metaphysical imagery, so props and credit to him here. The final pinnacle characteristic, that almost seems hidden, but is ever so important is most of my visualizations are things that are fun for me. I have the most success with the things I enjoy visualizing. So try to tailor them to your own interests. I can really get into looking at that Frisbee, or juggling that weird can thing. This makes nice logical sense too, because your favorite thoughts should be the most effective and diverting your focus away from the physical.

To come full circle, I want to reiterate again, I will be juggling the can, and all of a sudden remember I am laying in bed and can hardly focus on my body, I will freak out a little bit, realize I am not breathing, or even hear a noise and snap out of it. This will happen, from what I understand, no one is above this and it will happen to you. So don't get discouraged or feel like you are doing something wrong. This is natural. Skill comes into play when you learn to understand the interruptions you experience and roll off them into the next visualization, that will take you further down that staircase.

I have a lot more to say as addendum to my initial post, but that will have to come in time as I am very busy right now.

I hope this helps you blu and everyone else that may have been looking for a little more clarification.

Thanks, that's very helpful. I was spending a lot of frustrating time and effort trying to come up with long, scripted visualizations that would invariably be impossible to maintain or to remain interesting.

besides a few times at night, all my visualizations, of the type you describe, happen in the afternoon hours when i am suddenly very tired and desire a nap. perhaps my mix of mental alertness to physical exhaustion is at a perfect ratio during those times -so too may be your 'wake early then back to bed' method.

also, other than finding interest in how vivid and uncharacteristic to my imagination they were, i have not paid these visual clips much attention. i might have to try milking your method for some results:)

great sticky! and Btw, i know this is an exciting time for you contenteo, so ride this wave of exhilaration as long as you can... just as your first guide-point was the importance of 'state of mind', i too, believe it to be the most important ingredient in any spiritual pursuit.

Right you are Pondini, there is something to be said about momentum. It is built over time and lasts over time. But we live in a world of friction, so, as it won't last forever, should be given focus to reach a maximum state.

Here is another gem while I still have momentum.

Before I do, I wish to clarify. It seems you might be mixing up my definition of visualization with the uninitiated images that occur when your body snaps into REM, for instance those crazy semi-dream scenarios one encounters when commonly taking a 20-40 minute power-nap. My suggestion at visualization is much more simple. It is akin to daydreaming. Just create an active metaphysical image in your head.

So here's the gem. Let's break this down into to really super-simple segmented steps so you all can have something to remember and think about while laying there.

STEP 1 - Standard Starting Criteria for Easiest Results

Go get into a comfy, quiet, place that is usually not your sleeping space. Lay down on your back. Projection on your side is difficult.

STEP 2 - Disconnect physical sensing system

Stay conscious. Don't move. Let you teeth come together. Focus on breathing through your nose. Focus on hearing things in the physical. Anything to pass the time until you body falls asleep. Can take anywhere between 2 and 20 minutes depending on proficiency. Move to the next step when your mouth starts to feel like it just got Novocained. I dub this the Novocaine milestone.

STEP 3 - Disconnect your hearing and visual senses

Now that you are "in yourself", we have to work on disconnecting those other senses. Since we can't do it actively without thinking about our senses, we must proceed in a passive manner; visualize like I describe previously in my initial post. Just picture yourself doing something. Right now you still are in waking state, so it is pretty much the same concept as day-dreaming. Continue persistent visualization as you will continually keep losing focus. Visualize. Accidentally lose focus. Start visualizing again. Accidentally lose focus. Start visualizing again. Accidentally lose focus. Start visualizing again. Accidentally lose focus. Start visualizing again. Accidentally lose focus. Start visualizing again. Accidentally lose focus. Start visualizing again. Accidentally lose focus. Start visualizing again. Accidentally lose focus. Start visualizing again. Accidentally lose focus. Start visualizing again. Unless its a good night, that it usually around many it takes to achieve success. No matter what you sense, ignore the physical and KEEP VISUALIZING. You will pass all the milestones, but if you focus on them, you will mess with the process and may, in worse (and for me, most) case scenarios, need to shake it off and start from the beginning. A little willpower to keep persistent visualization goes a long way here.

STEP 4 - Phase

Successful execution leads to a number of sensations. Most commonly a feeling of drifting downwards/into yourself/bed/ground/melting. This state is vast blackness F121. Go with it. Keep visualizing. Noises and all the other fun distractions will occur. Ignore all the noises, or better yet incorporate them into a sensical daydream like visualization. Keep visualizing. When you least expect it, since you will be engrossed in a visualization, you will just phase. You will now be in the state to launch into various parts of the astral.

My initial post is an explanation of this process more tailored towards "why". This is more about simple memorable facts. This process is also easy to remember when attempting. It is the logic track I keep in my mind. I have found a large factor of success for myself is the Novocaine mouth state. That milestone is easier to achieve with teeth in a touching relaxed position from the get go. I is a phenomenal marker to switch from laying their bored, using noticing to coax your body asleep, to the beginning of the visualization phase, a process that needs the correct prerequisite state to be efficiently successful.

1 - It is important to note I have found focusing into a deep trance can lend you into an F12, vast blackness state, is possible without hitting the Novocaine milestone. However, the slight falling feeling will not be present and breathing and other physical distractions are hard to ignore. This is the state I described I always got stuck in and woke up annoyed and sweaty.

I've had promising results so far, here's what I'm doing right now and what my current roadblock is:

Wake up earlyI have to get up for work at 8 so I set my alarm for 6. I brush my teeth and take a shower, which seems like enough time for me to wake up mentally yet still feel tired.

Lie down and relaxSince I've been doing daily breathing meditation this part is pretty easy. I count my breaths (relaxed, natural breaths) up to 20 and back down to 1. Then I relax just my face and head. This takes about 4-5 minutes and I reach the "Novocaine State" (great name btw).

VisualizeI can visualize pretty easily, and I can feel them getting more and more realistic, but then 90 minutes later I wake up from a vivid dream. I can remember my dreams pretty well so I'm just falling asleep as the visualizations become more engrossing.

At this point I'm just going to keep doing the exact same thing and hopefully I'll just get better, but any tips to prevent falling asleep would be appreciated!

Thanks for the props on the name. I got that lazy mouth feel the first time I ever projected, which was accidental. That's what I called it then and that's what I call it now.

Well if you know how to get to the Novocaine state your battle is mostly over. You just need to keep visualizing. Remember to switch up the visualizations. It is tougher than it sounds. Eventually your body should kinda take over. It will feed you the initial imagery thoughts and you continue them. You should be disconnecting and experiencing pretty random and crazy metaphysical imagery. Like last night, a notable image was a lady dancing in a hot dog suit. I mean wtf?, right? lol, but I love it. You need to focus on keeping conscious. And yes, you get better over time. Actually you will accelerate pretty fast if you practice regularly. The more you practice, the more your body gets used to the process. I get the Novocaine state in like 4 minutes now, and am performing this before bed, what I said not to do.

Anyways, what you are looking for after the radical metaphysical imagery is that falling/melting sensation everyone is talking about. When you get that, latch on to it. Full focus on staying conscious and the slight falling. Once you are relatively stable, continue your visualizations. When you do that at this stage, it will push you deeper into the disconnectedness. At this point you will enter a stage of Euphoria/begining of phasing. I mean it it feels great. Plus you have all those vibrations giving you the tinglies. Awesome. Just sit back and enjoy and focus on melting. At this point you can still get up at will, so try to stay disconnected and plunge forward. A full WILD actually takes a while to complete the actual phasing process. I was surprised how long it actually took. I wish I could just give you the patience it takes, but alas, that comes from within.

I can add that "visualization" can also not be visualizing (the word is usually associated with visual imagination, but that's not so). There are many people that are more proficient at creating "visualizations" with other senses. The trick is more to work with your nature at first, then after you begin working with other things, depending on what you want to do.

For example there was a person I know that since she was an artist thought that she was very good at visualizing. She tried to become engrossed in visualizations but it was more difficult than she expected. She asked me what she was doing wrong.

I remembered one time we were in a car toghter, listening to a song. After it was finished I saw her simply "lapse out" for a couple of minutes and I asked her what did she do. She told me that for her it was natural if she liked a song to start earing it again in her head, and the outside world totally vanished for the duration. "Do you *think* the words of the song in your mind?"- I asked - "No, I listen to it in my mind as if I was hearing it at the radio".

I smiled and told her that she did "visualization" that time, and she was perfect at it. She watched me not really getting what I was saying. So I just told her to just forget about "visualizing" in the literal term altogheter and instead start hearing songs in her head. She had no problems thereafter. It was natural to her.

The morale is: "visualization" is a term that can encompass everything, not only visual stimuli. Everyone of us is better at some things at beginning in confront to others, depending on our nature. The trick is to work with those natural predilections at first. Everything that can make you lose in another "reality" is fine, not only visualizing (in the literal term) a scenario. There are people I know that are much better at "visualizing" sounds, some others that are much better at "visualizing" kinesthetic sensations. Very little people I know are really good at "visualizing" in the literal term and to do so effectively they must be in a certain frame of mind.

Also if people are used believing the visual sense the most developed because they are attentive to it the most of the time, in reality in many cases it is not so.